Ghost Story: Presence A Sequel
by GenuineLies
Summary: The team adjusts to new relationships, Yohji and Aya are more similar than they realize. More of a character study piece.


Title: Ghost Story: Presence

Author: Genuinelie(s)

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: AyaxYohji, Aya-chanxOmi, KenxOC

Description: Sequel (of sorts) to Ghost Story , a 19-chapter fic I wrote back in 2009/10. I wanted to explore relationship dynamics, and I wanted to write AyaxYohji, but I'm so out of practice. This is what I came up with.

...meep.

The new window above the sink sparkled freshly in the morning sun.

Yohji gave it a thoughtful look. It had been three months, and he kept forgetting to ask how exactly that had happened.

Just in front of that window, Ran looked over his shoulder and caught Yohji's stare. He was just finishing washing the breakfast dishes. Yohji gave a one-shouldered shrug but wasn't about to break the peace. Silence was something that you could be trained in, he'd been surprised to find. Sometimes you just didn't need to say that hilarious line, consequences be damned, just for attention.

He _had_ attention. He grinned like a cat and ran a hand up from his waist to his chest, content to let his shirt ride up with it.

Ran watched him with eyes that held absolute ownership. Yohji grinned wider, though he caught the half-lowered lids, the lingering uncertainty that tempered all of Ran's most sexy stares.

It was why he didn't ask about the window. That entire emotionally-fraught episode was one the Koneko at large was doing its best never to mention. Ran didn't need reminding that not so long ago, _Aya_ would never have allowed this. He didn't need reminding that he almost chose to die, cover or not. He didn't need reminding that Yohji was a walking time-bomb, emotionally speaking, and that most of the responsibility of keeping him diffused was Ran's own.

Ran's eyes narrowed slightly, assessing. Damn, but he didn't miss much. How could Yohji not have noticed that before? He'd been so sure Ran was too caught up in his own problems to be observant.

He'd underestimated him. They all had.

There was a knock at the door – the back alleyway door only used by Weiss and sometimes Sakura. The domestic mood was broken by Ran keeping a fist around a kitchen knife when he looked through the keyhole.

He set the blade flat-handed on the counter a split-second later, and unlatched the door. "Come in," he said. Flatly to those who didn't know him, but for those who did, the offer itself was warm enough. The redhead glanced at Yohji with a small, amused smile on his thin lips when Jun appeared a moment later, cautiously shoving the door open.

"Hey, guys," the blond said with a friendly, nervous smile of his own. One of half a handful of civilians who knew what they really did with their lives, thanks to the little fact they'd offed his crappy, disgusting dad and Ken had spilled the beans. Jun obviously liked Ken enough to stick around; he was normal enough to be terrified of them, knowing what they were. It was apparent in every edgy mannerism when Ken wasn't in the room.

"We have a mission tonight," Ran pointed out, without turning. "Does Ken know you're here?"

"Uh, n-no." Jun went from happy to stressed before his eyes. He darted his gaze from Yohji to Ran's back. "It's Christmas Eve."

"'tis the season, Jun-kun," Yohji announced cheerfully. "A merry Christmas present to those girls the sicko keeps kidnapping."

Jun frowned hard and turned back to Yohji. "I was seriously unaware just how many criminals there are in Tokyo before I met Ken and all of you. Even…you know, even knowing what my own dad did."

"Means our employer is doing their job," Yohji smiled a little sharply. "Assassins aren't really supposed to be front-page news, yanno."

Jun's frown had turned more thoughtful, but he'd narrowed his eyes a little in thought, warily. "Is Ken in the house?"

"Ken-ken!" Yohji bellowed, without moving. "Visitor!"

Ran hung up his towel and turned to glare at Yohji, who pretended not to notice. Jun did; he was openly examining Ran. Ran turned a surprised little look back at him and opened his mouth, but a thundering of footsteps on the stairs circumvented whatever he'd been about to say.

Ken jumped the last few steps and landed solidly, swinging into the kitchen anchored by one hand on the wall. He and Jun visibly brightened and grinned at each other.

"We're not that nauseating. Are we?" Yohji mock-whined at Ran.

"Hey, stuff it," Ken said, without rancor. "What's up?"

Jun held up a green, red and white bag Yohji hadn't noticed him holding. "It's Christmas Eve. Thought I'd stop by…maybe kidnap you until tomorrow?"

"Mission, Ken." Ran said.

"Right, right." Ken frowned at his teammates, then turned a smile back on Jun. "Well, if you want, you could come back tomorrow. Or," he put a hand behind his head with a little glower at the room in general, his cheeks reddening, "you could stay here. I mean, I wouldn't be around most of the night. Y'know, work…but…"

"No." Ran said immediately.

"Hey," Ken said, frowning. "Not your call."

"My sister is…" Ran started.

"He's _gay_," Ken snapped. "She's safe, man."

"No."

"You really think leaving her here by herself is better than leaving her with company? If she needs protecting, she's a little worse off by herself, doncha think, buddy? It's Christmas _Eve_, man, you want to leave her alone here?"

Jun held up a hand. "I don't mind staying. You want to ask her?" He turned to Ran, who was looking Jun up and down like he was a potential target. After a moment his shoulders relaxed, marginally. Defeat. His face was stony and Aya-like. Only the battle?

Fascinated, Yohji kept out of it, and watched Ran leave the room and head upstairs.

Jun waggled the present at Ken. "You going to take this or what?"

Ken grinned. "Not until I can give you mine. Come on." He grabbed his hand and yanked him to the mission room stairs, where their little fake Christmas tree was waiting below. They disappeared as they descended, chattering as they went.

Feeling a little ignored, Yohji reached into the back pocket of his pajama bottoms and found his squashed pack of cigarettes. He headed outside to the alleyway before he lit it, like a good, housetrained Yohji Kudoh.

#

Ran found Yohji on the steps outside about a half-hour later. He looked up at him with green eyes behind a trail of smoke and tousled blond hair, leaning back against Ran's legs like a puppy.

Ran let him. Yohji's hand trailed up his leg to his waist, smoothing the line of his jeans, and back down again. A smile appeared a moment later around the cigarette. Ran didn't miss the small pile of used butts by his feet.

"What?" Ran asked quietly.

"Was gonna ask you the same thing, baby."

Ran narrowed his eyes. He swore Yohji used nicknames just because it irritated him.

_Maybe because he knew it didn't?_

It should. He suppressed a sigh. "You're bothered by something."

"Jun's right. It's Christmas tomorrow."

Ran shrugged. "We've done missions on Christmas before."

"First year I've almost felt normal since all this started," Yohji gestured with his hands, as if the city were to blame. He snorted. "First couple of months, at any rate."

It was funny how three months could overwrite the memory of where they'd started with this, their relationship. How close to the edge they'd been in the aftermath of the fall of Eszett, how close Yohji had been to the edge. How he himself must have seemed to the others was still blurry; it was like he'd been under a thick fog between the time his sister had joined them at the Koneko and the episode at the Magic Bus. He remembered Yohji looking like hell; he remembered how unhappy he'd been making his sister; he remembered visiting his parents' graves like a dream. He preferred not to think about the decision he'd almost made. It was no longer relevant.

Did he shy away from that knowledge because of how easily it might slip back?

He could feel the acknowledgment of the abyss that he was avoiding like his own skin waiting to be tried back on.

He crouched down and kissed Yohji's smoke-filled mouth. The green eyes widened, Ran met them with pride. Yohji's free hand threaded fingers in the hair behind his ear, slipping a caressing tongue into his mouth.

Ran's eyes closed. The hand slipped down to tuck against his lower back. When he felt like it might go lower, location be damned, he broke away and stood up.

Yohji was smirking at him. Ran rolled his eyes. "I have to go out."

"I can get dressed-"

"I'll be back soon, Yohji."

"Hot date?"

"Yes. At ten in the morning." Ran started walking toward the street.

"Not unheard of for me, yanno-" When Ran glanced over his shoulder, he saw Yohji beating himself up for saying it. He paused and shot a small smile to make him stop wallowing in self-deprecation.

Yohji shrugged at him, sheepishly.

Ran nodded, and left.

#

"You know, I really think Ran thinks Omi doesn't tell me anything," Aya-chan announced, flouncing into Yohji's unlocked room without knocking and sitting on the sofa across from his bed.

Yohji hastily finished buttoning his shirt. "Uh, heya there. Your brother doesn't really like you in here, yanno, kiddo, too much smoke and all that."

Aya-chan snorted. "You don't smoke in here anymore."

"And, uh, you should really knock…" Yohji smiled to ease the nag.

Aya-chan rolled her eyes. "Why? It's noon and I know Ran's out."

Yohji frowned, and managed to refrain from saying that _other parts of him could be out, though._ "Yeah, yeah, ok, ok. Well. What's up?"

"Do you know it's Christmas Eve?" Aya-chan narrowed her eyes at him.

"…yes?" Yohji hazarded.

"And no one told me you had a mission? I really think Ran thought you would make it back before I noticed, or something! If he hadn't come up to ask about Jun staying over…" She looked accusatory. "What if you died? What if Ran called in that stupid code again or something? Why can't you make him understand that I know about his life, and I'm still in it!" It wasn't a question.

Yohji threw up his hands defensively and crossed the room to crouch, so he was looking up at her. She stared him down regally. He kept his voice soft. "Why aren't you saying this to your brother, honey?"

She was wearing that same guarded, cold, flat look that the other 'Aya' had perfected. It made him wonder if he'd been wrong in his assumption that it had grown out of Weiss, and when, if ever, the young Ran Fujimiya had had to use it.

Aya-chan stood up, making him stumble back and straighten to keep from falling. "We haven't really had time to talk lately," she said quietly. "He listens to you."

She walked quickly out of his room.

Yohji wet his lips nervously.

#

There was a knock at her door. Positive it was Yohji, Aya-chan almost didn't open it.

_She had been so sure that Yohji and her brother would be good for each other, she hadn't thought about what that would mean. For her._

She'd been replaced, she thought grimly. She stood.

"Aya?" Her brother's voice. She blinked. The door cracked, and the familiar, bright red of the top of his head preceded him into the room. He looked up at her with his equally striking violet eyes. She had always secretly thought he made up for his loud looks by having a quiet personality. Standing out embarrassed him; he couldn't help his appearance, so he receded in all other ways.

Aya-chan would have killed once to switch with him.

So to speak.

She mustered up a smile, genuine despite herself.

He moved a hand from behind his back. A small purple box wrapped in white ribbon was caged in his fingers. "I made reservations for us, for a late lunch. Before…"

"Your mission," she said sharply.

"I'm sorry," he offered. "For not telling you."

"You never tell me anymore," she pointed out. "You're not sorry."

Ran shifted uncomfortably. His face was more familiar these days, the lines less pronounced, the darkness beneath them a little faded, but somehow, she was seeing less of it.

"Were you going to tell me with a note on the table?" She asked primly.

"I thought Omi has been informing you," he said stiffly.

"He has," Aya-chan said.

Ran's lips thinned. "You used to ask."

_Oh._ Aya-chan blinked. The hand holding the present lowered, as if Ran had just remembered it was still outstretched.

She smiled again, falsely. "You give that to me when you come back."

"Have you eaten?" He pressed again.

"I can't. I'm going with Omi," she said, feeling victorious at the flinch it brought.

The look on his face had turned haunted, and she realized she'd gone a step too far.

He wasn't the same brother he used to be. Still her brother, still Ran, but changed. It wasn't fixable. She was changed too. Having your parents murdered did that to you. She couldn't imagine what murdering others did, and didn't want to.

She couldn't stop herself from adding, painfully, "Maybe you should hang out with me sometime when you _don't_ think you might die." She frowned immediately, and ran forward to hug him.

Ran accepted it anyway, despite what she'd said. He didn't let go until she did. "Maybe you should go with Yohji," she said brightly, pretending she hadn't noticed the harm she'd just caused.

"I'll knock three times when we're back," he said awkwardly.

She didn't have the heart to tell him Omi had been doing that exact same thing. She smiled and nodded.

He nodded, paused, and left, taking the little present with him.

#

"So do you want to save these for tomorrow?" Jun asked easily. "Nice tree, man."

Ken grinned. He could see his boyfriend had both eyes on the present clearly marked with his name.

"Was gonna see if you wanted to go out tonight," he remarked casually. "Before I found out about…about the thing."

Damn, but it was hard to say "mission" in front of Jun. It was just clear that he didn't really understand things, as hard as he was trying. He kept expecting his luck to run out and the other guy to go screaming to the police. He didn't even want to think about that implied in terms of a cover-up. Relocation? Brainwashing? Bribery? Hopefully nothing permanent. It was giving him an ulcer worrying about it.

"Ah, good, so was I." Jun grinned back, and sidled closer. He put the bag on the ground and grabbed both Ken's hands, pulling him forward. "Your bosses really couldn't have picked a better night?"

Ken shrugged with one shoulder. "They don't know where he lives. Really secretive. It's his only scheduled public appearance all year."

Jun was beginning to look uncomfortable. Ken quickly changed topics. "Did you make a reservation?"

He got a sheepish smile for that. "Should've asked, sorry."

"Nah, I'm sorry, man." Ken said. "I should've assumed. Of course we should've had a date. I'm an ass."

Jun coughed. "You have a nice one to make up for it."

Ken blinked. They hadn't really talked about that yet. Handjobs and blowjobs, yeah, sure. But asses? The whole issue just made him kind of nervous. The positions and the who's and where's and how to bring it up.

He grinned, hyper-aware he was being an idiot. "Yeah? So do you."

Jun placed a hand behind Ken's back and kissed him. It was simple and straightforward and perfect, like always. Ken made a little grunting noise without meaning to and they stumbled together toward the couch.

#

Yohji came downstairs to find a grumpy-looking Omi sitting at the table and staring at a Christmas cake.

"Aww, chibi, you didn't hafta," he drawled warily. There was a little folded slip of paper next to it that didn't look like it had been read.

"I didn't," Omi said curtly. "I think Ken and Jun are having sex in the mission room, but we need to hold a briefing."

Yohji snickered. "Don't worry, kiddo, they'll be done soon enough. Stamina takes practice!"

Omi wrinkled up his nose. "Yooohji."

"Seen Ran? And where's his beautiful little sister?"

"She's getting ready," Omi said, blushing. "We're going to get dinner. Which is why we need to hold the meeting, now, so we can leave on time!"

That was interesting. He never thought he'd see the day when little Kritiker-bred Omi rearranged his priorities.

Good for him.

_Good for Aya-chan, really,_ he amended. _It's like she's infected with the human-virus, and is spreading it around to all of us._

Yohji scratched his tummy nonchalantly, and waited for Omi to catch on to his meaningful stare.

"What? Oh." Omi's foot was tapping nervously beneath the table. "Aya said she saw him a little earlier. Did you check his room? Ran asked Aya to go out with him to dinner so I don't think he had plans."

Yohji's eyebrows rose. "And she said she was going with you?"

Omi nodded nervously. "I thought he'd have plans with you, Yohji. We didn't even think about him!"

"I thought he would too, kiddo, why d'ya think I'm looking for him?" Yohji frowned and tried not to reach for a cigarette. He nodded toward the cake. "So? Who's the Koneko daddy this year?"

Omi blinked. "I thought it was Jun."

"He didn't have it when he came in. You read the note?" He didn't know why, but that little slip of paper was giving him serious dread.

"Note?" Omi echoed.

As amused Yohji was that the idea of Jun and Ken having sex in the mission room apparently completely derailed their little leader's thoughts, he was annoyed at the thought of being the one to have to read it. With a long-suffering sigh, he went to the table and encouraged it toward him with one finger. Flipping it open, he frowned.

"Back soon. Do not hold briefing. Omi, go to dinner. The hell?"

"Yohji-kun, do you know you are being as protective of Ran as Ran is of Aya-chan?" Omi frowned right back at him.

"Do you realize," Yohji waived the note in amazement, ignoring him. "This means that our very own Ran Fujimiya bought a Christmas cake? Is it snowing? Has hell frozen over?"

Omi frowned. "Be careful, Yohji. He's made a lot of progress, but…"

"Don't give me advice on Ran," Yohji snapped. Ok, so he was still mad at the youngest Weiss. He was only human, and Omi had almost fucked it up for both of them. Three months was only three months – he'd think about forgiveness after they'd hit a year, maybe. He softened his voice anyway, taking pity. "Sorry. I'll be in my room. Let me know when the bunnies stop going at it."

The kid was right, though. Yohji stopped halfway up the stairwell. 'Progress' did not mean 'fully healed', not by a long shot. Ran and Aya were still the same person. He himself had told the redhead that. He was remembering a personality he'd put on ice, yeah, sure, but he hadn't flicked a switch and changed from dark to light overnight. He still thought Aya-like thoughts, because he was still Aya, the swordsman he'd fought with and against and did lunatic things like jump from support beams onto moving vehicles. He just also did things like smile and fuck Yohji.

"So what does that mean?" Yohji murmured. He narrowed his eyes.

It meant Omi was right, he told himself firmly. He was being controlling of Ran, and like putting pressure on a grenade it wasn't a good idea.

He'd left a note. That was progress.

He'd bought a cake! That was more than progress. That was a miracle. That was hinting at _normal._

Yohji shook his head, but the unsettled feeling wouldn't dislodge.

#

Ken yanked his boxer shorts back up over his knees, jumping a little to help the process. He was grinning like an idiot down at Jun, who was stretched out on the couch with one hand behind his blond head.

"That was – huh!" Ken beamed. "That was really. I mean. You? That was really…"

Jun laughed, and tugged on his wrist. Ken stumbled over and fell on top of him. "Oof," Jun commented.

Ken frowned suddenly. "…not your first time."

Jun shook his head. "That a problem?"

"Uh. No. I mean. Not…either…" The full lie wouldn't quite make it past his lips. Embarrassing! Crap. Of course that wouldn't have meant as much to Jun as it did to…

"Ken. Remember? My first boyfriend? It really sucked?"

"Right…" Ken hedged.

"My second boyfriend. It was pretty good? We talked about this? That's why I wanted to try it again?"

"Right…" Ken gulped, and wedged himself between Jun and the back of the couch so he wouldn't be in danger of kneeing the other guy in the balls. "Really didn't have to tell me that part," he muttered under his breath.

"And how it was freaking amazing with you?" Jun continued, nudging him with an elbow. "Remember us talking about that? And how that last guy – don't even remember his name? Also, I decided he kinda sucked too."

"Huh." Ken iterated. He eyed Jun cautiously. "Huh. Oh."

"Yeah." Jun encouraged, grinning.

"Don't remember that conversation."

"Maybe we should have it," Jun laughed. "You. Amazing. Stop worrying."

"Right," Ken said. He relaxed.

Him. Amazing.

…oh, yeah.

#

The front door shut downstairs. Yohji slid partway down the banister, beyond the wall of the stairway, and pretended that he hadn't been waiting for just that moment to enter the kitchen.

To his surprise, he wasn't alone. Aya-chan was already at the table, her arms crossed, also looking at her brother.

Ran had paused by the door, eyebrows raised. He hadn't yet noticed Yohji. Neither had his sister.

Yohji hung back.

Ran set a brown paper bag on the floor, and shrugged off his tan trench coat. "You look nice," he commented. "Are you about to leave?"

"Yes," Aya-chan replied, sternly. "Ran-kun. Can we talk first?"

Ran's lips twitched down, barely. He leaned against the counter.

Like for a mission briefing, Yohji observed. Huh.

"You never hang out with me anymore!" Aya-chan exploded. "We never do anything. You used to take me places! We used to watch movies together! We used to go out-it's like ever since you and Yohji-"

Yohji's breath caught. He narrowed his eyes.

If Aya-chan managed to convince him that…

He cursed himself for telling the girl to talk to her brother.

"I asked you to dinner," Ran said flatly.

"Today, Ran-kun! You should have made plans!"

The frown became more noticeable.

"Just don't-just don't forget me." Aya-chan looked away. "Okay? Even if we get old, and married…"

"Aya-" Ran sucked in a breath.

"We're the only family we have left!" She pushed back from the table. Yohji crept back up the stairs, and ran into Omi coming down with an _Oof!_.

"Yohji-kun!" Omi beamed. "Sorry. Are you and Ran-kun going out?"

"Good question," Yohji muttered, and went the rest of the way up past his floor to the roof, shaking out a cigarette as he went.

The door slammed behind him. Go figure, it was starting to snow. A few flakes drifted down and extinguished on the lit end of his smoke. He jammed his sunglasses down over the bridge of his nose, despite there being no one around to notice. The world just looked better dimmer sometimes. More like it should.

They weren't supposed to be having problems like this. Things were supposed to be better. The ache was supposed to be gone.

_It's Aya._ He reminded himself. _Ran. You chose to pursue it. You knew he wasn't going to be easy. You knew he came with baggage._

Understatements were his specialty.

His sister was being ridiculous. He was trying very, very hard not to hold it against the little brat. Or think of her like a little brat. Of course she'd be jealous, he just hadn't thought about it. Hell, he'd been jealous of her for long enough.

They were both idiots, he and Aya-chan, he realized suddenly. Relatively normal people, compared to Ran-Ayan. The swordsman had barely kept it together during his time in Weiss. Yohji had been depressed, still was…_when would he shake this feeling of guilt over replacing Asuka? Asuka, Asuka, what do you want?..._but Ran…he hadn't been fighting for himself, like Yohji or the others. He could barely take care of himself. All his energy had gone into revenge. You threw a relationship at him, plus a sister not in a coma…one that needed actual attention, not just a once-a-week-visit, some flowers and a paycheck…

Yohji pushed his sunglasses back up into his hair.

_Shit._

He was selfish.

They both were.

Three months. That was it. It was understandable for Aya-chan to forget the swordsman had been the living dead, she hadn't known. But for Yohji to forget Mr. Robaato…

Ran was still Aya. Still the same person, like Yohji had tried to convince him those long months ago. Still adept at discharging his duties, like the perfect machine. Work, then family, then relationships. The perfect man.

Then there was the obvious. Yohji had been wallowing in self-pity that Ran still put his sister first, he missed that Ran was quietly losing his sister's attention to Omi. His precious Aya-chan had been blind to that. Yohji could count on more than both hands the number of times the redhead had been blown off by her due to prior plans with the youngest Weiss. Ran was so wrapped up in his own guilt he didn't remember to defend himself.

Yohji kicked himself mentally. _Baby steps, Ayan. I'm okay with that._

He heard a door shut. Peering over the edge of the roof, he saw Ken's brunet head lean next to Jun's blond one as they started toward the street, hand in hand.

Well. It was Christmas. He'd crapped out on presents, but it wasn't too late. He owed his boyfriend and his sister something, and there was one thing he could think of to give.

A little wistfully, he brushed snow off his shoulders and headed back into the Koneko. He had a phone call to make.

#

"Yohji?" Ran knocked, and waited, looking at his socks. He looked up after a minute of silence. He frowned at the door, then shoved it open.

Empty.

Downstairs, he heard his sister and Omi leave.

He swallowed a sigh, and went to Yohji's bed to sit down.

His sister had been smart enough to make plans.

He should have done the same, if she was just going to accuse him of ignoring her anyway.

The sheets smelled like Yohji. Faintly of smoke, the spicy scent of his bath products, and a sweeter body-smell. Ran put his palm flat on the blankets and stared at it.

Five minutes later, and still no Kudoh. Ran frowned. Not the bathroom then. He hadn't been downstairs, either in the kitchen, shop or mission room. He'd checked.

Still frowning, he left to check the roof.

Footprints were outlined in the light dusting of snow. They paced from the doorway to the edge of the roof and back again. A cigarette butt was left behind.

A slight twist of his gut.

He'd been stupid.

Aya-chan had Omi. He'd have to accept that. Ken had Jun.

_Yohji chose you. You chose him._

And yet, Ran was still too preoccupied…

He had almost forgotten all the early mornings waiting for the other assassin to come home and prove he was still alive.

_He should have known that. Should have known what you have to give wouldn't be enough._

Out, then.

It had been three months.

Did he even have that sort of claim, and would it justify his emotions? Yohji was a free man. He could do what he wanted.

Ran narrowed his eyes.

Ran jogged back down the stairs into the empty Koneko, and into his room.

It was Christmas Eve. He knew his teammates would be back in time for a briefing, and for the mission that night, but he would make sure they wouldn't have to be.

#

"Are you sure we have time for this?" Aya-chan asked warily, as Omi pulled out her chair for her.

Omi smiled, and took the seat across from her. He felt a little silly, all dressed up like they were playing pretend, but there were a handful of other kids about their age on dates just like theirs all around them. The restaurant's staff kept whispering amongst themselves with expressions that clearly said _and how cute are they?_

"Yes. It's only four in the afternoon, and we're not supposed to be out until ten tonight. They want the speech to happen first, so that no one suspects…well. They don't want it broadcast, so they want the evening to go smoothly."

Aya-chan nodded, frowning, then smiled. "Okay! I just didn't want this to interfere with…"

Omi shook his head. "No! No. Don't worry." He frowned. "I mean! I mean, unless you don't want to…I mean, you could have said yes to Ran-kun, I would have understood – Christmas must be very meaningful to you both…"

"No!" Aya-chan waved a hand. "No. I had plans with you first."

Omi bit his lip.

There was a good chance he was going to regret saying it.

"Aya-chan," he said gently. "We always have plans with each other first, because we see each other the most, right? Are you sure you're not ignoring your brother for me? I mean, too much? Not that I'm complaining!"

Aya-chan looked absolutely shocked. "No!"

"He asked you to a movie last week, didn't he?" Omi pressed.

"Yes, but, we…"

"And the museum that weekend…"

"We were at the aquarium!"

"And he wanted you to go to the fair with him, but we went together instead." Omi nodded.

Aya-chan's mouth dropped open, just slightly. She closed it quickly, and looked down at her plate. A slight flush of red went up her cheeks.

"Aya-chan?"

She looked up at Omi, eyes wide. "Oh, Omi. I told him he'd been ignoring me for Yohji."

Yohji. Right. Omi did his best to try and remember the other blond assassin mentioning plans that night, and came up with nothing. So that likely meant that either by some miracle, Ran remembered he had a boyfriend, or Yohji was spending the night either out – not good for a mission – or in his room. Not good for a mission.

"Huh." Omi said, and decided to try and keep their date short.

#

"Hello, ladies." Yohji winked. The girls he'd approached gave him giggles, but scattered. He sighed and took a seat at the bar.

Wow. This guy had a bar. In his living room. And a stage.

Yohji raised one eyebrow and whistled, lowly. More like an amphitheater than a house, really.

Well, that kept in line with the 'shows' they'd heard so much about. Sick bastard.

He might not be on a date, but at least he'd made it to a party, and a Kritiker-approved one at that. He was surprised that Manx ok'd the solo work. Sure, he'd fudged discussing it with Weiss, but no harm, no foul.

He looked a little remorsefully at the empty seat next to him, and swung around to face the bartender.

For just a moment, the face of the woman shimmered, like it was surrounded by a halo of carrot-colored hair.

_So not the right red,_ Yohji mused.

Then blinked.

"Merry Christmas," the familiar mouth gloated. "I think I'm jealous of you."

A second later, he was waving his hands, trying to explain why he had almost jumped across the bar toward the petite brunette.

Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the room.

Shit.

This, he was not prepared to deal with on his own.

#

Ran adjusted his tie and his smile, leftover from weekends spent at company mixers with his banker father. The hostess didn't look closely at his Kritiker-produced invitation and welcomed him to the party.

Surveillance cameras everywhere. Bodyguards attempting-and failing-to look inconspicuous everywhere in the crowd. A mansion full of civilians. It wasn't an ideal setup.

But Yohji had been right, he acknowledged. It was Christmas Eve. Ran was the only Weiss who didn't care. The security was problematic, but the job could be done easily enough solo.

While he had been so worried about his sister, he had forgotten the one person in Weiss who probably still deserved it. The one other person who was his responsibility.

That wasn't quite the right word.

Family?

Not yet.

Close.

He felt the vial in his pocket with thumb and forefinger, and scanned the room. "Excuse me," he asked a young woman with a big red bow over her cleavage, "Mr. Yakumo?"

The girl smiled. "On stage, silly."

Of course. He glanced toward the front, and sure enough, a microphone was being set up in front of a stately-looking gentleman with grey hair. Careless. He'd been lost in thought and missed the stage entirely. It had been on the mission specs. Why was it so many dark beasts made it to old age? They were going to have to fix that, permanently.

"Thank you," he murmured.

It was good news. He'd have time to get through to the guard's room and take out surveillance. He pushed through the aimless socialites toward a side door, leading to the hallway with the elevator. Third floor, and basement. It would have been easier with the team.

"I am definitely jealous, kitten." Suddenly, there was an arm at his throat and red hair that clashed with his own falling over his shoulder. Lips were at his ear, not quite close enough to touch. "But I've been told hands-off. Frohe Weihnachten."

Ran elbowed empty air behind him and spun. Schuldig was standing several feet away. He walked toward Ran calmly, smirk in place. He nodded toward the stage. Mr. Yakumo was gesturing toward a couple members of his staff, who came hustling forward. A few unheard words and he was escorted off the stage while a pretty blond girl stammered out that the speech was temporarily postponed, but to enjoy the refreshments in the meantime, because Mr. Yakumo was not feeling well.

"Why?" Ran demanded.

"He had too many ties to our interests. Your way would have called too much attention. A heart attack is much more tasteful." Schuldig sneered and tsk'd. "Don't interfere. We're playing for the same team, so don't get any ideas. I gave you a Christmas present!" The sneer turned into a leer. "Have one for me?"

Ran shoved him away with a shout, forgetting himself for a moment. Schuldig spilled his drink across Ran's white shirt. It was pink and frothy. Looking down in disgust, he looked back up to see a couple girls giggling, no one else paying attention, and across the room at the bar, familiar green eyes watching him from behind sunglasses.

"Next time, kitten," a voice whispered, but Schuldig was gone.

#

Yohji shoved his way through the crowd. Ran didn't move, looking shell-shocked.

"Yohji? What-"

Yohji grabbed him by his shoulders, bunching up his jacket around the wiry muscles of his arms. He was solid but compact, toned and lean. The suit fit him well. He looked more businessman than katana-wielding killer. Yohji shook him a little. "Fuck, did you tell anyone you were coming?"

Ran narrowed his eyes. "Did you?"

"Are you okay?" Yohji interrupted, looking him over. Aside from an unfortunate pink wet stain, Ran looked fine. "I didn't imagine it, did I?" Yohji spat. "Schuldig was here. What did he say?"

"I think our mission is over. He said that Yakumo-" Ran lowered his voice, and buttoned his jacket over his ruined shirt. "He said a heart attack would be less noticeable than our methods. He told me not to interfere."

"Huh," Yohji said. "I saw him. He had his hands all over you…"

"I'm okay. He said Yakumo was interfering with their interests."

Yohji hissed out a breath. "So. Ran-Ayan. You didn't answer my question. Did you tell anyone you came here? Huh?"

Ran glowered, an admission of guilt if he ever saw one. "Did you?" Ran repeated.

"Yes." Yohji glared right back at him. "I told our other redheaded friend, thank you very much, my presence is stamped and approved and the others are going to have their plans cancelled in about an hour. What the hell are you doing here? What if-"

"Yohji. You still needed to tell Weiss." Ran said. "If something went wrong…"

Yohji dragged a hand over his face, and laughed with frustration. When he looked again, through his fingers, Ran's shoulders had slumped a little, and there was a lighter expression on his face. Good. At least he'd heard himself. Yohji let his hands drop back to his sides.

"I thought that since I was the only one who seemed to not be affected by…"

"Because everyone else had dates," Yohji suggested.

"You seemed unhappy this morning…"

"I'd rather have spent it with you."

Ran didn't blink, meeting Yohji's eyes squarely. "I know."

Yohji did blink. "You what?"

"I'm sorry."

"You're what?" Yohji echoed again.

Ran gave him one of his small half-smiles, the ones that seemed slightly out-of-practice. "I'm sorry, Yohji. I keep forgetting Aya doesn't need me as much as she used to. She keeps complaining I don't spend time with her. I've been trying."

"She's always with Omi," Yohji suggested quietly.

"I keep forgetting how old she is," Ran frowned again. "I should have made plans with you. I keep forgetting that you…" He suddenly looked uncomfortable. His violet eyes stayed trained on Yohji's, however.

He looked human. Yohji smiled. "I'll take all of it, I know I've told you that."

"All of-"

Yohji stepped forward, into Ran's space, and draped his arms across his shoulders. He bent forward, lips almost touching. "You. We'll remember this together. How to live again."

People were starting to dance around them. A slow song had come on over the loudspeakers. Awkwardly, Ran took one of Yohji's hands off his shoulder, held it in his own, and leaned his head forward next to the other man's.

No one was looking at them. No one cared. They were just another couple, not a pair of assassins trying to blend in with normal humanity.

Ran closed his eyes, and felt Yohji smile next to his cheek.


End file.
